Head Injury Breakthrough as NFL Family Files Suit

After a lot of research, experts have found ways to identify dangerous signs of head injuries that were previously only found during autopsies and post-mortem studies. The hope is the new discoveries could help prevent brain injury-related suicides.

In the cases of NFL and military suicides linked to head injury, there is a physical marker that is common. For the first time, doctors are able to see that before the patient dies. The marker is an abnormal build up in the head of a protein called tau.

It was previously only detected in autopsies, now after a dye is injected, the build up can be detected by a scan. One doctor calls this the "holy grail" for treating the condition All-Pro Junior Seau suffered before he killed himself.

The research is, however, criticized because the sample population thus far is small.

In Chicago, Mike Tobin, FOX News Radio.

The family of former star linebacker Junior Seau, meanwhile, has filed a lawsuit against the NFL following his likely brain-injury related suicide last year.

Junior Seau shot himself in the chest last May. His family had his brain studied, and sure enough, the National Institutes of Health found Seau's brain was similar to autopsies of people with exposure to repetitive head injuries.

(Strauss) "There's ample evidence that the league had that they didn't disclose and share with the players, and much of that is cited in the complaint. But suffice it to say, that we believe the league had information about the risks that weren't disclosed to the players that may have affected their decisions going forward."

Steve Strauss is one of the attorneys representing the Seau family. The NFL has issued a statement saying their attorneys will review the suit and respond through the courts.